Fuel System Cleaner

[hd840]

I have been reading up on these and find that a common suggested action these days is to add some Cleaner to your fuel tank before an oil service.
This apparenetly deposits the resultant crud into the oil/sump when the oil change will remove.
Adding before an MOT will also help in emission cleanliness for cats testing.

Anyone any info on this, and if so then what is best timespan between adding the cleaner and having the oil service, and adding the cleaner before the MOT.

Thanks.

 

[Blobcat]

Hi & Welcome,

The crud wouldn't end up in the sump unless you have serious fueling/piston ring issues. It should burn off with usage. MB puts a treatment in with every service so I would find a good one and use it as often as it needs a service and just before an MOT. Then give it a good long blast to clean it out.

 

[hd840]

Oh...thanks for that.

So putting it in before an oil service will achieve what ??

 

[Smudge]

Oh...thanks for that.

So putting it in before an oil service will achieve what ??

Can't see it achieving anything!

 

[television]

Can't see it achieving anything!

I think that I will agree on this one,,there are so many products out there to add, and many can do harm, The additives like millers in diesels do work, as do things like RedX etc that have been around for years.

And as blobcat says how can it reach the parts, unles your bores/rings are shot

 

[pault8084]

We add pro tek engine flush where i work which is an oil additive which goes in and then the car's driven before an oil change.Not really a big fan but we also use petrol and diesel cleaners which i do use on my own vehicles

 

[delboy777]

I have just used redex injector cleaner in my car, its done 115k and an emmissions test yesteday showed a figure of 1.38ppm the limit is 3.0 so very pleased

 

[jackwall5]

delboy777, don't suppose you know the test results before using the redex injector cleaner do you? Would be interesting to see what effect it had in your car.

Safe driving

 

[simon_wall69]

I recently used redex injector cleaner and it cured a misfire. Although, I did combine it with an Italian tune-up as well; the previous owner was a pootler and there was a big carbon build up.

 

[Top Cat]

I think that I will agree on this one,,there are so many products out there to add, and many can do harm, The additives like millers in diesels do work, as do things like RedX etc that have been around for years.

And as blobcat says how can it reach the parts, unles your bores/rings are shot

I'm guessing the OP has probably confused two product lines here - fuel additive and an oil flush. I imagine what he wants to try to do is flush out some of the congealed oily deposits with the oil change.

I have to agree about the combination of a bottle of Redex and a few italian tune ups to liven up a sluggard of a car, especially one thats been pootling around the town most of its life.

 

[PJayUK]

How about a couple of tanks of Shell V Power to clean things through. Especially as its cheaper now!

 

[television]

Running a flushing agent is hardly ever done now with the clean oils that we now have

 

[SQ_W211]

Shell V power is not as good as people make it out to be. Its more effective for high power hot hatches or Jap imports such as Subaru as they are made to run on high octane rating. It doesn't make the engine any cleaner but it does give more performance and more economy for the extra/ltr you pay.

I have to agree, odd redx from time to time on a full tank would give a little better response but nothing that can be noticed easily unless your car is old and has alot of carbon buildup.

Old carb cars use to benefit from the carb cleaner while car running and you could see carbon being cleaned through the smoke and a good blast with high revs will clean any carbon from the fueling system. I don't beleive in engine flushes as most of them tend to clean the carbon deposits from old gaskets and leads to oil leaks.

Is there anyone who has tested any petrol additive which has made a significant difference on 8 - 10 year old car? I would like to test something and give before and after results.

 

[jimsinessex]

I have to agree, odd redx from time to time on a full tank would give a little better response but nothing that can be noticed easily unless your car is old and has alot of carbon buildup.

Is there anyone who has tested any petrol additive which has made a significant difference on 8 - 10 year old car? I would like to test something and give before and after results.

On my late lamented CLK 230K (details below) I used Wynns petrol injector cleaner every 6000 miles from about 50,000 onwards and noticed an immediate improvement in engine smoothness and response every time. This on a well used 35,000 miles/year car which never suffered any "pottering around town" mileage. The fuel additive also had the bonus for W208 and W202 CLK and C Class cars of keeping the fuel tank senders clean These are prone to failure on these cars. Mine were original to the end despite early erratic behaviour before I started the Wynns treatment. Since then - no problems.

Jim

 

[Nick1964]

I would never use any kind of flushing additive - in the fuel tank or in the engine oil. If you use good quality fuel (I always use Shell) and high quality oil, changed at the correct intervals there should be no need. I've read numerous articles about additives, magnets and 'in the tank' tin pellets and remain unconvinced by any of them. I believe they are all marketing gimmicks with no real independent engineering foundation; they probably do no harm but neither do they do any good. Use a decent fully synthetic engine oil and change it on time and you should be OK.

 

[SQ_W211]

On my way to Halfords to buy some....

will let you guys know if i get any response. I am driving around 400miles tommorow so will defoo notice the difference.